Trolley catcher and retriever.



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WALTER W. HUNZIGKER, 0F MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO BRASS COM- PANY, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TROLLEY CATGHER AND RETRIEVER.

Application filed July 9, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER WV. HUN- ZIOKER, a citizen of the United States, re-

' siding at Mansfield, in the county of Rich land and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley Catchers and Retrievers, of: which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trolley catching and retrieving devices, and consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for engaging the reel to prevent the winding up of the rope.

Another object of my invention is to provide a means for retaining the spring in wound up relation with respect to the reel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch which is adapted to engage a slot in the reel, to be retained in engagement therewith by the action of the spring on the reel and to disengage the slot by gravity when the reel is moved so as to counteract the action of the spring.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means whereby the operative parts of the device will be held in a predetermined relation for the purpose of removing or re placing the rope, the means engaging the reel by hand manipulation and disengaging the reel by gravity.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification, reference being had to acoompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a catcher embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the device. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a latch.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views. Reference numeral 1 indicates a case, provided with a stud 8 and having a cover at removably secured thereto by any well known means.

A spool 5, having flanges 6 and 6, a groove 7, on which the trolley rope 8 is wound, is rotatably mounted on the stud 3. The trolley rope 8 is detachably attached to the spool 5 by means of the slot 9 or any other well known means.

A rope tensioning spring 10 is arranged within the case 1 and connected wlth the spool 5, in a manner, as to resist the un Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Serial No. 179,331.

winding of the rope 8 for the purpose of keeping the slack out of the rope at all times.

The above combination and the arrangement of the parts, briefly outlined, will be readily understood by those familiar with devices of this character and has been selected by me for the purpose of illustrating my invention, which consists of the followmg:

On the case 1, lugs 11 are provided for the purpose of pivotally mounting a latch 12, which has a slot 13 formed in one end thereof and provided with stop lugs 14, preferably made integral therewith, adapted to contact with the lugs 11 whereby further movement of the latch 12 will be restricted.

The flange 6 of the spool 5 has an opening 15 formed therein which communicates with the recess 16 whereby the nose 17 is formed.

The opening 15 is adapted to receive the slotted end of the latch 12, which when inserted therein, and by means of the nose 17 entering into and engaging the slot 13 the parts will be interlocked, and further move ment of the spool in a predetermined direction will be prevented. Then it is desired to release the parts, the spool 5 is turned in the direction as to remove the nose 17 from the slot 13 which when disengaged will permit the latch 12 to swing out of the opening 15.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my invention will be readily understood. When it is desired to remove or replace the rope, or to prevent further winding up of same, movement of the spool 5 is arrested by means of the latch 12 which engages therewith by hand manipulation. In order to restore the device to its normal operative position the latch 12 is disengaged, by gravity, from the spool 5 as hereinbefore described.

It is evident that various changes may be made in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a trolley tender, the combination of a case, a spool provided with flanges rotatably mounted therein, a recess in the spool into which a nose projects, a latch pivoted to move in angular relation to the plane of the spool flanges and movable into saidzrecess to prevent rotation of the spool, said latch being provided with an opening to re ceive the nose when the latch is in engagement With the spool for the purpose of interlocking the parts.

2. In a trolley tender, the combination of a case, ears on the case, an axle in the case, a latch provided With an opening pivotally mounted between the ears to move in a plane coinciding with the axis of the axle, stop lugs on the latch to limit the movement of the latch in one direction by engagement with the ears, a spool provided With flanges rotatably mounted on the axle, one of the flanges having a recess for the reception of the latch to hold the spool against rotation in one direction, and a projection Within the recess to cooperate With said opening in the latch to prevent disengagement of the latch from the spool when in engaged relation.

3. In a trolley catcher, the combination of a case, a spool provided With a flange rotatably mounted therein, a spring for rotating the spool, and means for locking the spool against rotation by said spring comprising a recess in the spool, a latch provided with an opening mounted to move in a plane in angular relation to the spool flange and movable into said recess, and a projection Within said recess receivable Within the opening in the latch to interlock the parts against accidental disengagement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WVALTER WV. HUNZICKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 10. 0. 

